


Save the Bird

by HandmaidenOfHorror



Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bondage, Dick Grayson is Batman, Enemies to Lovers, First Kiss, G-T rated works, Getting Together, Grief/Mourning, Kissing, M/M, M/M works, Pining, Post-Crisis (DCU), Pre-Flashpoint (DCU), Temporary Character Death, Time Loop, Time Travel, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:54:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25362715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HandmaidenOfHorror/pseuds/HandmaidenOfHorror
Summary: Dick Grayson is dead. It's something Jason is happy to correct.
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Jason Todd
Comments: 1
Kudos: 23
Collections: Battleship 2020, Battleship 2020 - Red Team





	Save the Bird

**Author's Note:**

  * For [snowshus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowshus/gifts).



„Batman’s dead,” said Tim with a grim expression, at which Jason laughed.

“You may think me an idiot, but _this_ is not exactly news to me,” he replied, rapidly burning out through his reserves of patience for the boy.

“Not this Batman,” the three words stopped Jason in his tracks, “Please be there for the funeral.”

That shocked Jason so much he couldn’t even reply as the boy made his exit.

Jason visited the mansion the next morning to be met with grieving family, Damian strangely absent. Alfred told him what happened through tears: Batman and Robin caught the Joker, Damian wanted to kill the bastard while Dick insisted on sending him back to Arkham, they started arguing about it and in all this Joker got out and sent a concealed blade right into Dick’s eye socket. There was a lot that Jason could tell to this, but none of it would have helped poor Alfred, the only family member he still cared about. So Jason remained silent through the service and returned to the place he didn’t even call home.

The next day started with a sense of déjà vu. By midday Jason was certain he was repeating the events of the day before yesterday. Curious, he went to the site of the tragic event, and there they were, Batman and Robin fighting the Joker and then turning their attention away from him to indulge into a pointless argument. Well, at least this time Jason pulled the trigger faster and it was the clown that dropped dead, not Dick. Jason felt a sense of victory despite being about to face the wrath of his two brothers-

And woke up on the morning of the very same day. What? Wasn’t saving Dick the purpose of this weird time repeat? Well, fine. Next time Jason saved his older brother without killing the Joker, instead finding the clown well before Batman and Robin, beating the shit out of him and dropping him at Arkham’s gate. That seemed to work… for about an hour, after which Jason found himself starting the day again.

Why him? Literally any hero in Gotham was closer to Dick Grayson than him. Was this some weird heavenly test for Jason? If so, he kept falling. Every time, he managed to keep Dick alive and _most_ of the time he managed to do so without killing anyone, but every time he found himself restarting the day. He stopped counting the loops after a month, but it was well over a month of the same day, and he felt so _tired_ , but he just couldn’t stop and-

And Jason snapped. It wasn’t an outburst of violence, it would have been normal to him. No, Jason simply got up and went to a bar first thing in the morning, ordering six shots from a bartender who looked suspiciously at his fake ID. Unfortunately, Jason forgot he was a very lightweight drinker. After second shot, he already felt pleasantly tipsy and his inebriated brain started to look at his time problem from a completely new perspective.

Jason has had a crush on Dick ever since he’s been a kid, but he never managed to do anything about it: before his death he interacted with Nightwing maybe _once_ and after it all their interactions were fights, burying the childish feelings deep inside Jason, only for them to resurface under the influence of alcohol. To be honest, Jason wasn’t in love with Dick, strictly speaking, he was mostly simply attracted to the gorgeous man and wanting to sleep with him. Why not exploit the time loop and confess to Dick instead? At worst, they’ll fight and the day will start again. After sixth shot, it sounded right a great idea.

So he stumbled out of the bar with all the dignity he could muster and after admitting to himself he was in no shape to drive and taking the rooftops during the day was a bad idea even when sober, he simply called a taxi to Dick’s apartment complex. Of course he knew the address, just like Dick knew all of his, they were just polite enough not to ambush their enemies at their homes.

Enemies, huh. That was what they were to each other now.

Jason called Dick’s apartment and when the not-yet-and-hopefully-not-in-foreseeable-future-dead-Batman picked up, Jason greeted him with “Won’t you let your younger brother in?”

And surprisingly, Dick did, in silence. Which didn’t stop him from assaulting Jason upon his entrance to the apartment, which he should have foreseen. The electric shock knocked him out for a few moments, long enough for Dick to perfectly tie him up and throw at... his bed?

“Fast to the point, aren’t we?” Jason joked once he regained his consciousness.

“What do you want,” Dick was dead serious.

“I’ve had a crush on you since I’ve been a kid, you know-,” Jason started but Dick interrupted him.

“Jason, if this is some messed up scheme of yours I’ll make sure you remember your lesson-“

“Sounds good to me,” replied Jason, and quickly cut in before Dick could say anything else or electroshock him again, “I’ve saved your life about a hundred times by now.”

A flat “What” was all Dick could reply with, and Jason used that to explain everything he knew about the time loop to Dick. After he finished, a few seconds of silence followed.

“Thank you,” said Dick, making Jason’s heart beat faster, “If what you said is true, thank you for saving me.”

“You are welcome,” replied Jason, “Can you untie me now?”

“ _If_ what you said is true,” said Dick, turning to leave the room, “and don’t attempt escaping, you won’t be able to untie them drunk.”

And just like that, Dick disappeared. So much for a love confession.

Dick was absent for hours, during which Jason learned that indeed, all his training aside he couldn't escape Dick’s bondage. Not that Jason would have anything against such bed tricks, but maybe not literal tricks in bed while he was left for hours, his members feeling dangerously numb. Thank god for the time loop, otherwise he might have been pernamently injured, but please-

What answered Jason’s silent plea was not god, but the thankfully alive Dick Grayson.

“I’m so sorry for leaving you like this,” Dick indeed sounded sorry as he was _finally_ untying Jason, “You were right about the Joker, Oracle called the whole team and we caught him without casualties. Thank you for your help.”

“You have never thanked me before,” replied Jason, fighting the pain in his whole body so that he could at least have this conversation before the timeline resets itself, “It’s… nice. I’ll cherish that moment.”

“Cherish?” asked Dick, before remembering, “Wait, you were serious about the time loop thing?”

“Yeah,” replied Jason, trying to stay conscious for a little bit longer.

“We can help you! I have friends who know magic! Just…”

But Jason didn’t hear him finish the sentence.

Turns out this time his injuries came with him through the loop. Jason groaned incoherently and tried to get up to get himself in shape enough to save Dick for god knows which time, only to realize he wasn’t in his usual flat anymore. And then he promptly collapsed on the floor with a loud thud.

“You okay?” Dick’s voice came from outside the room, and soon he saw the worried face of his older brother leaning over him.

“The loop is broken,” Jason stated the fact, unable to form any more coherent thought with his strong headache.

“Apparently, and everybody’s still alive,” was Dick’s reply as he helped Jason to the kitchen and onto one of the kitchen chairs.

“I am so sorry for leaving you like that,” Dick apologized again, and as Jason said nothing, he continued, “You talked about your crush before. Why not give it a chance?”

Jason looked up, cheeks flushed, only to see Dick’s face right by his and-

He was kissing him! Dick Grayson was kissing him! He’s dying and hallucinating, because it couldn't possibly be true!

But it was true, and as Dick assured Jason repeatedly, there were many more kisses to come in the future.


End file.
